Esther Mahlangu: To Paint is in my Heart

This delightfully small (it’s almost pocket-sized) book packs a serious graphic punch – much like its subject, whose output over the past 50 or so years has been rightfully acclaimed the world over. Mahlangu’s extraordinary eye for colour, and her ability to combine and juxtapose colours in harmonious and interesting ways, is brilliantly demonstrated here via the experience of paging through the many reproduced images of her work. Her graphic lines and shapes, all of which are drawn entirely by hand, form another fascinating dimension of it, and one that heightens its hypnotic and rhythmic qualities. Focused resolutely on the artworks themselves and with just the right amount (not much!) of words attempting to “explain” them, this is one of my favourite new art books in years.